Well this is clearly not a wood engraving, it is what I can see now out of my window in Paris. All those rooftops! I am so high up. I arrived today…June 11. In this weblog I am saying still of the Ashmolean visit. Always I have lots more to say, …I might catch up… Now to show some of the wood engravings, and cows. Just to keep a good balance. A photograph of the now silent Stradivarius violins, sitting glumly in the Print room of the Ashmolean . They were left to the collection with the proviso they were not to be played . We will just have to imagine the sweet sounds. My inner self , which is a bit interested in crime of the decent sort, wonders how they can be set free. At least we can look at the wood engravings of George Mackley. The tiniest of cuts he had made , with the engraving tools. Their wonderful names, scorper, spitsticker and the bull sticker. These little pictures are perfect to me.

The rivers and canals are still traversed by similar boats, the lovely long boats.

I can almost hear the sounds of the river. I think of him sitting quietly there, drawing the light and the dark darks of the shadows .One more , the Downland church. These wood engravings are here especially for my friend Christopher Wells . Now leaving this stillness and peace , over to The Clumps and a clumping cow or several.

I have to put in some more cow pictures ,

Sarah and Michael graciously hullo the welcoming committee , I am not actually hiding , just standing a bit behind the wall. The best cow nose I would think. I can still smell its grassy breath. Sarah and Michael have brought me to Little Wittenham..to see the Clumps which Paul Nash drew. And here it is …

All those soaring birds, and the far away lands. So far from his war pictures of sadness and devastation, this drawing is of the heart. You could hum a Vaughan Williams’ hum for this one. Back now to Abingdon, a last walk down to the river, past the Twittys,

round the back of the Alms houses,

With their stalky chimneys and New Testament quotations, slightly cheery . The river is cheery , with perfect English flowers and calm waters. A duck and a gaggle of geese.

Back to Sarah and Michaels’ home at the Old Goal, not grim at all, a last look out the window,

then onward to the northern train . Thankyou dear Sarah and Michael. Next time, the town of Hinkley, home of hosiery, and battles of Bosworth and my friends , the Meyers.

The cows cheered my heart, still a bit bruised from Miss kitty’s passing. Thankyou for the mention in your blog. I love the engravings. Can’t imagine why someone would donate those violins on the condition they not be played! What’s the point of just looking? It’s like you donating your pencils but not the drawings they made. Our Mia was playing with her mums iPad recently and jammed it. Her defense was. ” I didn’t do it. It’s these hands that are on me! Our Joshy and Mia family is off to Disneyworld on Monday. They will also be going on the Disney ship for a week’s cruise . How I shall miss them. Josh was very surprised that I intend still working in the school library even though he won’t be there! Zana will be turning forty next week with the saddest of prospects looming. Martine is returning to Norway and Zana thinks she won’t go. They are going to Tasmania next week but it must be dreadful knowing what’s ahead in August. Our children’s pain is ours too but we can’t share it with them when they’re adults. Keep blogging Janet. I really hang on every sentence and can’t wait for the next exciting episode. Jill x Sent from my iPad

Thank you Dear Jill. I have been thinking about you both a lot since Miss Kitty died. Thank you for your weblog cheer along . It is sad about Zana , I think we can share the sadness , sort of in another way. Llewelyn has left David, we all realise now it was a tricky relationship in the end . I think the word is abuse . I love the Mia hands story! What a great time they will have in their travels. All the best for you while they are away, big hugs to you both , janet